Indiana Football Week 4: Meet the Cincinnati Bearcats
Indiana's first road trip of the season starts on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET against the Cincinnati Bearcats. Cincinnati won 38-24 in Bloomington last season.
Cincinnati Bearcats made the College Football Playoff last season. Nine Bearcat players were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. First team All-American cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner was the fourth overall pick by the New York Jets.
Ben Bryant has started the season well for Cincinnati. He has completed 70% of his passes and has thrown for 863 yards, 7 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Charles McClelland and Corey Kiner have each scored three touchdowns. Tyler Scott, a 5-foot-11 receiver, leads the team with 15 catches for 238 yards and two touchdowns, and Tre Tucker has caught 12 passes for 183 yards. Tight end Josh Whyle is third on the list with 10 catches, while tight end Leonard Taylor has scored two touchdown on six receptions. Hawaii transfer Nick Mardner has five catches and 94 yards for 94 and a touchdown. The offensive line is strong and experienced, led by Lorenz Metz, Jake Renfro and Dylan O'Quinn.
Ivan Pace Jr. has made an immediate impact at Cincinnati. Ja'Von Hicks and Arquon Bush have been a mainstay in the defensive backfield. Wilson Huber and Jabari Taylor are team captains on defense. Hubers sacked Alabama's Bryce Young in last year's CFP semifinal game. Taylor has 47 games worth of experience with 12 tackles for loss and four sacks.
Luke Fickell is in his sixth year as Cincinnati head coach. He's led the Bearcats to a 50-16 record, including a 22-2 stretch during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Cincinnati has won back-to-back American Athletic Conference championships and made a College Football Playoff appearance last year. A program-high nine players were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. Mike Tressel is Cincinnati's defensive coordinator. Gino Guidugli is the offensive coordinator, and he was instrumental in developing quarterback Desmond Ridder.
Episode 4 of the Hoosier Roundtable Podcast features Luke Fickell, Charles Campbell and Myles Jackson. They discuss the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Indiana Hoops.
